Using the four-layer diagram
The principles of the CIGREF mapping should now be clear, so we can see how to use this technique to improve alignment and, thus, the efficiency of the information systems. As said, the first action to take when taking control of a system is to create a map of it. Otherwise, there is simply no way to be comfortable with handling such complex sets. This means of course that creating the map for the existing state of the information system is the very first action to take, and a CIGREF map is great for that. But lots of questions still remain on how to do so. This section contains a few battle-proven pieces of advice on how to use the mapping technique.
As an important note, do not worry if you do not know precisely how to use the CIGREF method by the end of this chapter. For now, I will just show you how to draw it and how to spot problems of business/IT alignment in it, but the rest of the book will present lots of other examples of the CIGREF map in...
